FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 21, 2014) – Today the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board (KADB), chaired by Gov. Steve Beshear, approved $555,026 for 11 agricultural diversification projects across the Commonwealth during its March board meeting at the Franklin County Cooperative Extension Office.

State and regional investments approved included:

Mentor Network and Educational ProgramThe Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office Inc. was approved for $60,000 in state funds divided across two years for mentor training and a new educational program.One goal of the project is to train 10 sheep and 10 goat mentors to assist producers, especially new producers, with animal health issues and improving animal quality.Additionally, an intensive educational program – “Small Ruminant Profit Schools” – will be created to offer classes in nutrition, breeding, health management, pasture management and other areas of small ruminant management. Mentors will serve as instructors at the profit schools.For more information about this project or Kentucky’s sheep and goat industries, contact Kelley Yates, executive director, at 502-682-7780 or kyates@kysheepandgoat.org.Also, visit them online at www.kysheepandgoat.org.

On-Farm Produce Processing Facility

Lee’s Plant Farm Inc. was approved for a $60,000 loan in state funds.The funds will be used to construct and equip a 20’ X 60’ vegetable processing facility to be located on their farm in LaRue County.The facility will be used to process not only the applicant’s produce, but will be used to custom process for other growers. With this facility, the applicant ultimately seeks to bid on school and wholesale contracts for produce.For more information about this project, contact Scotty Lee at 270-358-9897, 270-735-2658 or slee107308@aol.com. Also, visit them online at www.leesgardencenter.com.

County investments approved included:

Environmental Stewardship

The Deceased Farm Animal Removal Program serves as a measure to facilitate the coordination of environmentally sound and cost-effective disposal of deceased livestock for Kentucky producers. One Deceased Farm Animal Removal Program was approved for Hart County, totaling $7,500.

On-Farm Investments

TheCounty Agricultural Investment Program (CAIP) is designed to provide farmers with incentives to allow them to improve and diversify their current production practices in an effort to increase net farm income. CAIP covers a wide variety of on-farm agricultural enterprises in its 10 investment areas, including production, marketing and value-added processing. Five CAIPs were approved by the board totaling $357,022 for Allen, Breathitt, Clinton, Henry and Magoffin counties.

In addition to these new approvals, an additional $34,729 was approved to supplement an existing CAIP in Lewis County.

Shared-Use EquipmentThe Shared-use Equipment Programis designed to benefit a high number of producers who cannot justify ownership expenses associated with certain equipment by helping them access technology necessary to improve their operations in an economical manner. Two Shared-use Equipment Programs were approved by the board for Clay and Menifee counties totaling $35,775.

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Gov. Steve Beshear and the Kentucky General Assembly continue to make great strides toward lessening Kentucky’s dependence on tobacco production while revitalizing the farm economy by investing a portion of Kentucky's Master Settlement Agreement Funds into the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund.

To date, Kentucky has invested more than $400 million in an array of county, regional and state projects designed to increase net farm income and create sustainable new farm-based business enterprises. These funding approvals, made possible by the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund, represent just a few of the more than 4,800 projects approved, since the inception of the program in January 2001.